The Thames

Rising at Thames Head, near the Cotswold village of Kemble, the Thames meanders across southern England for 215 miles, providing anglers with an array of angling opportunity.

Some of our most revered anglers have cut their teeth on the Thames (such as Peter Stone – People we Like) and every season some extraordinary fish are caught. Perch have recently come to the fore, with individual fish nudging the British record and multiple catches of fish over three pounds.

Barbel have been caught to over 18lb and chub to nearly 9lb, while down in the lower, tidal reaches, ‘Old Father’ holds some serious surprises. There are massive carp here and anglers targeting them are regularly smashed up by fish, almost certainly wels catfish, that break the line like cotton. They probably should have stocked up on Maxima Chameleon (see Things we Like).